Sometimes you just need a good quote to remind you of something. Or to encourage you.

. . . The essence of writing . . . is not putting words on the page but learning to recognize and erase the unnecessary ones . . .

Robert and Michèle Root-Bernstein

This doesn’t mean cutting all adverbs or descriptive words. This doesn’t mean you can’t have flowery language if it fits the story. This doesn’t mean your characters can’t engage in small talk. But it does mean to polish and tighten and make sure your words are part of the story and not just excess fluff.

What is your writing like? Do you cut and polish and change and tighten? Or do you just write as many words as you can? And do you edit as you go or after you’ve written everything?